READERS RIDES: Sportbikes and Cruisers and a Dirt Bike
Six women share their passion for riding.
Six women share their passion for riding.
If youve never given any thought to riding a sportbike, then this just might be the motorcycle to change that. Kawasaki recently introduced the Ninja 650R, the companys latest two-wheeled fun-seeker. With a seat height of just 30 inches (thats low in the sportbike category), and a dry weight of 392 pounds (thats very light in any category), the Ninja 650R is sure to appeal to a variety of riders from beginner to expert.
Magic. Wasnt that what it was all about? Robin and I were going on our first big road trip together. For me, road trips are like oxygen, essential for my survival. I charge up my batteries and come back to the city a new person.
With the morning heat already reaching 85 degrees, the cool mountain air was refreshing. I motioned to Robin that I wanted to get off the main highway and take a detour through the Klickitat Valley. Beautiful twisties wind along the gorgeous Klickitat River, definitely one of my favorites in Washington. We were in high desert country and the weather was perfect.
In the morning we hit the road veering off towards Crater Lake. The weather was turning grim. The clouds were looming by the mountains and the desert sky was full of black rain clouds. We laid low by the side of the road watching a groovy wind thing happen in a field. It looked like a small tornado. The weather system didnt seem to be passing us, so after a couple of hours we got back on our bikes. Well, we must have ridden right into the heart of the storm.
Ducati announces the new Monster 695, the latest iteration of the entry level Monster seen for the first time at the Paris Motorcycle show. The Monster 695 is welcoming to novice riders but, at the same time, is a Ducati so it delivers a level of performance advanced riders can appreciate and enjoy.
I was in Barstow, California, the last fuel stop on a long, hot ride to Las Vegas. It was 9:00 at night. I just spent the last seven hours riding the 2005 BMW R 1200 GS across a very hot and crowded desert highway. When I finally got to the hotel and poured myself off the GS, I sat down and thought about what I enjoyed about this bike.
Debra Kuick is our expert motorcycle racer who contributed to our racing section when we launched the site in 2005. She resides in San Rafael, California. Deb has been riding motorcycles since 1993 and racing …
Your motorcycle will be the biggest initial investment youll make. Here are some questions to consider: – How much money do you have to spend on that racing machine? – Will you get a new …
The amount you spend on race equipment varies depending on what kind of motorcycle you get and how much maintenance is required to keep it in good reliable condition, however, the racing sundries needed at …